I love spicy. Thai, Korean, Mexican, Cajun/creole, Italian, you name it. But as I get older, my tolerance for spicy is deteriorating. Mark can’t tolerate it either, even though he used to like it.

What kind of peppers or pepper sauce would be a good, milder sub for peppers like jalapeño and Serrano? Bell peppers, of course, but I’d like something with a little heat. I was thinking that shishitos might be good. Any other suggestions?

Joel, do you carefully seed and remove every vein from your jalapeño and Serrano peppers? I'm a stickler about removing every single seed and vein. A serrated spoon and plastic gloves are helpful. The flavor is there without much heat. SC can't handle heat very well, and if I do that he's OK.

__________________Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but rather by the moments that take our breath away.

Joel, do you ever grow your own peppers? There are many jalapeño varieties out there in which the heat is low or totally gone - TAM is a mild variety, and Felicity and Fooled You have no heat! I grew fooled you for a lady I knew years ago, and it had a great jalapeño flavor, despite having no heat! And a variety called flaming flare, despite the name, was under 1,000 SUs, and had a great chili flavor. And if you enjoy that habanero flavor, Aji Dulce is a true habanero, but only has about 500 SUs, if that. I grew that last season because a friend of mine has also gotten sort of sensitive to the heat, so I'd use 1 part chocolate hab to 2 parts Aji Dulce, and it brought the heat down enough for him.

Joel, do you ever grow your own peppers? There are many jalapeño varieties out there in which the heat is low or totally gone - TAM is a mild variety, and Felicity and Fooled You have no heat! I grew fooled you for a lady I knew years ago, and it had a great jalapeño flavor, despite having no heat! And a variety called flaming flare, despite the name, was under 1,000 SUs, and had a great chili flavor. And if you enjoy that habanero flavor, Aji Dulce is a true habanero, but only has about 500 SUs, if that. I grew that last season because a friend of mine has also gotten sort of sensitive to the heat, so I'd use 1 part chocolate hab to 2 parts Aji Dulce, and it brought the heat down enough for him.

I’m afraid that I live in an apartment. We do have a concrete patio, and I suppose I could grow peppers in flower boxes or the like. I’m not sure if they’d do well in the desert though, and if they did grow, they’d be shredded by my two pups! And I’ve got what they call a “black thumb.” I’ve never had much success growing things.

Joel, do you carefully seed and remove every vein from your jalapeño and Serrano peppers? I'm a stickler about removing every single seed and vein. A serrated spoon and plastic gloves are helpful. The flavor is there without much heat. SC can't handle heat very well, and if I do that he's OK.

Yes indeed, always very very careful to remove the seeds and the ribs! Thanks!

Peppadew. Small round, bright red. They are described as "piquant" rather than hot or spicy. Not sure how to cook with them, I found them at the olive bar section at my store. Also in jars. I usually only want a dozen or so. Stuff them with softened cream cheese or blue cheese. I think they would be good in a martini, but I can't do that anymore. Otherwise a one bite wonder.

Pepperoncini. Another good pickled pepper. I have seen them served inside Italian beef sandwiches and in salads.

Pickled banana pepper slices. They come Hot or Mild. You choose. Good on pizza and more.

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My new favorite salsa. Valentina. Comes original / mild or hot. Not as thick as catsup, thicker than tabasco. Smooth. Pour, drizzle or by drops on tacos. Highly recommended.

Herdez chunky salsa. The mild is very mild and you can spoon it into whatever you were going to chop fresh peppers for.